All language subtitles for Shabake_09_1920_1080 eng

Another medicine dealer was murdered.

I heard. The young head
of the Yanagiya, right?

The killer was a gardener, wasn't he?

And the previous killer was
an old man with graying hair.

There sure have been a lot of apothecaries
murdered since that one by the Mito estate.

Listen, don't you think
there's something weird about all this?

I mean, look at this overblown illustration.

YANAGIYA HIKOGORO ATTACKED

If the hawker who attacked me had looked
like this, I wouldn't be here now.

This killer's something all right.

He could be a spirit or
one of those occidental sorcerers.

Why a sorcerer?

I don't know. I just think
it's mighty bizarre.

Bizarre, huh?

SHABAKE

ACQUAINTANCE

I've ruminated on it for a while now,

and I've got an idea what might
really be behind these killings.

There's a chance that no one but us
can put an end to this trouble.

What are you talking about?

Just look at this.

The newspaper makes it look ghastly
because they exaggerate everything,

but maybe it has hit on the truth.

Are you suggesting these crimes
involve nonhuman agents?

I can think of no other explanation.

Too much about this
makes no rational sense.

Think back to the day we were attacked.

That vegetable hawker
was behaving very oddly.

But he was human.

We spirits would know if he wasn't.

I've been operating under the same assumption.

The killer I ran into on that first night
was definitely human, too.

But it does make me wonder.

Wonder what?

If the killers were possessed
by a spirit, one after another.

When the human it's possessing is caught and
loses their usefulness, it moves to another.

And it doesn't register as a spirit
while possessing a human.

If that's the case, a lot of things
start making sense.

So I made a list of all the things
that are still puzzling me.

First, the murder near the temple.

1. THE MURDER NEAR THE TEMPLE.
WHY WAS THE CARPENTER BEHEADED?

Why was the carpenter beheaded?

Second, why did the hawker
kill the carpenter over a petty dispute?

Third, why did he sell
the carpenter's stolen tools piecemeal?

Fourth, something was stolen from the carpenter
beforehand. Is it linked to the killings?

Fifth, what medicine
are all the killers after?

Sixth, why does each felon say the same things
and only target medicine dealers?

Seventh, why are the murderers
so quick to kill their victims?

I had no idea you'd been dwelling on this.

Those are all the questions
that have been bothering me.

Take number six. Wouldn't it make sense
for the felons to say the same things

if it's the same spirit possessing them all?

2. WHY DID THE HAWKER KILL THE CARPENTER
OVER A PETTY DISPUTE?

Next, numbers one, two, and seven.

If it's a spirit going to the extremes
of murder and beheading,

7. WHY ARE THE MURDERERS
SO QUICK TO KILL THEIR VICTIMS?

I find that easier to swallow.

Huh? Most spirits aren't violent.

No one's calling all spirits violent.

But humans and spirits have different
standards when judging good and evil.

We even perceive things in different ways.

Now, points three and four
are about the carpenter's tools.

3. WHY DID HE SELL THE CARPENTER'S
STOLEN TOOLS PIECEMEAL?

4. SOMETHING WAS STOLEN FROM THE CARPENTER
BEFOREHAND. IS IT LINKED TO THE KILLINGS?

We already had the spirits
ask around about those,

but we let it drop once
the killer was captured.

Nikichi, would you ask the spirits
to investigate again?

I'll pass the word along.

That leaves number five.

5. WHAT MEDICINE ARE ALL THE KILLERS AFTER?

Something tells me
it's the trickiest question of all.

What medicine does the spirit want?

What medicine could it want
badly enough to kill for?

We have no way of knowing that.

We can't even be certain the medicine
the killers want really exists.

Didn't the one who came to our shop
mention a "drug that restores life"?

We did have a mummy in stock then.

But the mummy wasn't the drug he wanted.

Come to think of it, didn't the hawker
say something about a smell that day?

The mixed scents of unprocessed
medical ingredients pervade the shop.

I doubt he could have picked
a single scent out of the confusion.

I know, but still...

Young Master, we sincerely appreciate
your perspective on the matter.

But the fifth watch is nearly over,
and you haven't bathed yet.

Whoops. I'd better fix that.

We've already taken our baths.

How long can you keep that secret
from the young master?

What do you want to tell him?

About you-know-what? Not a thing.

I wouldn't tell him if you asked me to.

That said, if he's right and a spirit has a hand
in this, can you afford to remain silent?

It's likely after the young master,
don't you think?

It's none of your concern.

You may not believe me, but I do have
a soft spot for the young master.

I've gotten my fill of sweets
since he moved in here,

and it's nice to have someone
to play Go with.

You aren't the only ones concerned about him.

Don't worry.

We've given our word that
we will keep the young master safe.

And we shall.

I'd rather not tell him
any more than is necessary.

He's a gentle soul.

I couldn't bear to see him
fret over who he is.

Fine.

Did you find out why
he was selling tools piecemeal?

No. No one in the shops I visited knew.

The proprietors surely had no idea
there was anything amiss about them.

Somebody selling off a whole set at once
would have been more unusual.

So we still don't know why
he sold the tools separately.

Young Master, if we work out
all the tools that were sold,

won't that tell us what was stolen
from the carpenter's toolbox?

Oh, you're right.

Let me see. Saw. Adze. Awl. File.

Mallet. Hammer. Sledgehammer.

Nail pouch. Square.

Plus his whetstone, his plane, and his chisel.

That's everything.

Then, the missing tool is a...

Sorry. I can't tell what's missing.

Do any of you know about these things?

I may be of service.

Who are you? I haven't seen you before.

I am called Oribe no Chaki.

Oribe ware is a type of antique Mino pottery
made to the taste of Furuta Oribe,

an apprentice of Sen no Rikyu.

I'm more valuable than I look.

So I was treasured and became
a tsukumogami, as you can see.

Spare us the lecture and get on with it.

What do you think I'm doing?

So you see, as a work of art myself,
I've spent time in antique shops.

And they occasionally handled ink lines.

Ink lines?

Tools carpenters use to paint
straight lines on wood.

Unlike other carpentry tools, I hear many
ink lines display intricate workmanship.

Master carpenters want
their ink lines to be works of art.

An ink line, huh?
We certainly didn't find one of those.

In which case, that must be
what the carpenter lost.

But does it have anything
to do with the attacks?

At the moment, it doesn't appear to.

I can't see a connection.

True.

Ah, that hits the spot.

I sure do love sake.

Consider it a thank-you gift
for all of your hard work.

It was worth visiting so many shops.

I checked 20 myself.

Come to think of it, there was a poor ink line
at the shop I found the hammer in.

A piece of real fine workmanship,

carved in the likeness of a hand
clasping an inkwell, as I recall.

Anyone could see it was a fine specimen,

but it had a crack
through the wooden bottom.

It's no good for anything like that.

I saw it, too. In the shop
where I found the chisel.

I know of it as well.

It was in the shop that bought the saw
from the vegetable hawker.

We know. We know.

Poor thing. A craftsman
put his heart and soul into it.

It looked so old, I daresay it could have
become a tsukumogami soon enough.

But with damage like that,
it will never be a tsukumogami now.

Can't broken things become tsukumogami,
even if they're a hundred years old?

Of course not, Young Master.

It's a common tool
trying to become a spirit.

It could never achieve that
in a ruined state.

Hey, who just said they saw
a broken ink line?

I did.

And me.

I brought it up first.

Did you see who bought the ink line?

No.

I have no idea.

I saw him.

I only noticed the ink line

because a customer sought to buy it,
attracted by its low price.

He said he was no carpenter,
but it would make a fine display piece.

I believe he said he was a gardener.

Wasn't the Yanagiya's young master
attacked by his regular gardener?

Yes.

Listen, Jakotsubaba and Noderabo.

I'd like you to do me a favor.

Yes?

I want to know who bought the broken
ink line from the shops you saw it in.

Could you ask around?

The carpenter's wife
remembered the ink line clearly.

The murdered man's ink line was carved
in the shape of a large left hand.

It was, huh?

But why do you want to know
about his ink line?

We were discussing the recent killings
with the young master,

and the master carpenter's
stolen tools happened to come up.

Is that so? I see.

We're sorry to have wasted your time
over something so trivial.

I understand why you'd be curious,
since you were attacked yourself,

but try not to brood on it.
It's bad for your health.

I guess you're right.

The shop I checked sold the ink line.

The buyer was a fairly young man.

He wore a workman's coat
and looked like a carpenter or a plasterer.

I see. Thank you.

An old man with graying hair
bought the ink line from the shop I visited.

A plasterer and an old man going gray.

I was right. The ink line went
to each of the killers.

It can't be a coincidence.

I think the ink line is the one possessing
and killing people. Don't you agree?

It is certainly suspicious.

But none of the spirits mentioned
the ink line being a tsukumogami.

They only lamented that it might
have been able to become one.

How could it possess anyone
if it's not a spirit?

This is just a theory of mine,
so I have nothing to back it up,

but I think this all started
with the hawker's fatherly concern.

Chogoro wanted the best life
possible for his son.

So he went to the master carpenter,
but he was dismissed out of hand.

I think maybe Chogoro
stole the ink line then.

He resented being brushed off
and took it as a form of payback.

Then, he either broke it by accident
or damaged it on purpose.

The carpenter noticed his ink line was gone
and pressed Chogoro to return it.

But the ink line was broken.

Chogoro couldn't give it back in that moment,

so he set up a meeting
by the canal near the temple.

Why would he go to all that trouble?

Because he didn't want to
admit anything in front of people.

And the ink line was a work of art.

Even with a broken bottom,
it was still worth selling.

He would've had a hard time paying for it
on a hawker's earnings.

Their negotiations broke down.

And for one reason or another,

Chogoro ended up using the knife
he'd brought with him.

But I doubt he beheaded
the carpenter at first.

This is where the spirit comes in.

The ink line was a real antique.

I bet it was on the verge
of becoming a tsukumogami.

But it was heartlessly smashed
just before it could get there.

It must have taken that hard.

So you think this
"almost-tsukumogami" lost control?

It was probably the blood.

The smell of blood drives
some apparitions to do crazy things, yes?

What if some got on the ink line?

That's merely speculation.
No one saw it happen.

The hawker was wielding a bloody knife
when I ran into him on the night of the murder.

The failed tsukumogami must have
already possessed him by then.

He might have only given
the carpenter a small cut at first.

But the blood maddened the failed tsukumogami,
and it possessed the hawker.

Then, it vented its frustration...

and killed the carpenter.

It bumped into me as it left.

That's why the beheading happened later.

The failed tsukumogami was mad
that I'd gotten away.

Then, it sold off the tools piecemeal
so the ink line wouldn't be missed.

I think I've got at least that much right.

But the next part is trickier.

It's killing again and again.

And I seriously doubt it wants
medicine for the carpenter.

So why does it keep committing crimes?

Poor thing.

You've been listening, Byobu Nozoki?

I couldn't help sympathizing.

Someone nearly hurled my screen
into a pond the other day, remember?

It takes more than affection
to live as a tsukumogami.

You also need an original
object to call home.

That failure must be
struggling like mad to survive.

I wonder how it plans to save itself.

The noderabo said it was broken too badly
to ever become a proper tsukumogami.

The failed tsukumogami possesses
every person who buys the ink line.

Then, it controls them and sells itself
again before they get caught.

If your reasoning is correct,

the killings will cease soon enough.

Why?

Because the failure failed
to become a tsukumogami.

It will revert to an ordinary
broken tool given time.

Really? The world of spirits
sure has some strange rules.

Now, please stay safely at home
until the rumors of killings die down.

Seriously?

Byobu Nozoki, I trust you'll cooperate?

You're asking me? Will wonders never cease?

Very well.

Huh?! Why are you on
their side today of all days?

Well, we must be getting back
to the shop. Be reasonable and rest.

Wait. I still have another question for you.

What is it?

I want to know what
the failed tsukumogami is after.

What do you think it's killed
so many people in an effort to get?

I can't imagine.

We only care that you stay safe.

This is bad.

I think I might know what medicine
that failure is looking for.

But where could it have heard about that?

Do you think it could turn into
a proper tsukumogami if it had that medicine?

Probably.

If the thing had it.

I see they're still keeping you cooped up.

You see right. How long
will I be stuck like this?

Ichitaro, I've been wondering
if I should tell you something.

Is it about my brother?

Tell me. Don't keep me in suspense.

Matsunosuke's in a real pickle right now.

What happened?

The Azumaya's owners
have a son and a daughter.

It turns out the daughter has a thing
for Matsunosuke, and it's causing trouble.

I know I'm not one to talk,
but the Azumaya's young master is lackluster.

So if his sister gets
with a capable employee,

they might make him retire young.

The mother can't stand Matsunosuke, either.
She wants a better match for her girl.

Frankly, they're close to
running him out of there.

Oh no. What will he do if he has to leave?

Well, he's young and strong.

He'll look for new work.

It's not like he can go back
to his folks in Hongo now.

Eikichi, you might get another
tongue-lashing if they catch you.

But will you do me a favor anyway?

I'm the one who brought it up.

This might help him settle down somewhere.

Oh, but I guess he wouldn't take money
from an anonymous stranger.

DEAR MATSUNOSUKE AT THE COOPER, AZUMAYA
YOUR BROTHER AT THE SHIPPING HOUSE, NAGASAKIYA

Are you sure?

He might come by the shop
if you send him this.

Even so, I can't just abandon him.

Well, all right. See you soon.

Sorry I keep making trouble
for you, Eikichi.

I promise I'll make it up to you someday.

I smell it.

You have it, don't you?

Hand it over.

Take this and let me go.

Not that.